‘Total debacle’ – Real Madrid’s season goes from awful to catastrophic after Copa del Rey defeat to Albacete in Alvaro Arbeloa’s first match

At a certain point we’re going to run out of ways that we can say crisis, right?

The club’s decision was made because they felt it was necessary to preserve their aims for the current season, having just seen one opportunity for silverware pass them by.

This was the first game in charge for Alvaro Arbeloa, another former Madrid player who has been brought in until the end of the season, when the club will then target a longer-term replacement for Alonso. He was meant to be a steady, stabilising hand, coming up from Castilla, Madrid’s B team. Now the club is out of another competition.

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“It is dramatic for Arbeloa as the new coach, for all the players, even those who didn’t play last night, and for president Florentino Perez.

“This is not only a defeat against a second division team (with only four starters), this is a big failure for the club when you consider everything else that has been going on.”

Marca called it a “total debacle” while AS opined “life carries on the same… or worse.”

Garcia says: “It’s been pure drama in terms of the reaction in Spain.

“Parts of the press and the opinion leaders are blaming the players, but the president is guilty as well. However, the main media such as Marca, AS or the main radio stations are still not coming out against the president.”

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The obvious question is, does this put Arbeloa under pressure? It’s unusual, but not impossible, for an interim manager to be let go if things aren’t going well (hello Cristian Stellini at Tottenham Hotspur), but surely this is too early?

“As far as we know for the moment: Arbeloa will stay until the end of the season. In June, probably new coach and new project, but the question is who?” Garcia says.

“This only my point of view: If Florentino convinces Zinedine Zidane, then Zidane will be the new coach.”

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Garcia believes there are real issues with the way the club has done their business, albeit recent reports have suggested that Madrid still think their squad is good enough to win trophies and there is not expected to be any transfer activity in January.

“The problem is the squad: Madrid needs at least two new midfielders and some new positions in the entirety of the defensive line, especially at centre-back,” Garcia added.

“Young players as Franco Mastantuono or Endrick should leave the club for one or two seasons on loan (Endrick is currently at Lyon) and grow up outside Real, as Nico Paz is doing at Como or Brahim Diaz at AC Milan and Dani Carvajal at Bayer Leverkusen before.”